This is an article from the USA Today. It describes Bill Gates and his work towards education reform through his foundation established with his wife. This foundation is called the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The article describes how Gates and Barrack Obama are working together to reform the poor American education system. Gates also describes how a shift needs to be made from standardized tests and how schools are to centered around them.
Reaction:
I believe this article pertains to the question I am researching because it shows how influential figures in American society want to change the way our schools work. Also the article shows how they do not agree with standardized testing and the focus schools put on them today.
This article is on the different levels of standardized testing in elementary schools. It describes how the tests vary as children get older and pass through the different grade levels. For example, before kindergarten the children are tested in simple way to test their abilities. This test involves simple tests like identifying colors and understanding directions. As the student advances through elementary school the tests begin to involve more math, reading, and writing orientated.
Reaction:
This article pertains to my question because it identifies the different types of elementary testing. It helps show, also, how the testing of students evolves as a student advances through their school career.
This article was from the ERIC digest. It is a description of the No Child Left Behind Act and its effect on Rhode Island schools. The report itself is a compilation of a research done when observing schools in Rhode Island. It describes how a lot of teacher in high school have to make their teaching plans around what is tested on the NECAP.
Reaction:
This article relates to my question because it describes the effect of the Act that lead to standardized tests being used so much in schools. This article also talks about one of the state standardized tests that is now required.
This article is a report describing the SAT test. This is the main test that helps students get into college. The report describes the test's history, how it is used in the present, and how the importance of scoring on the tests is increasing. The report also goes into how the SAT is the only statistically ranking system there is for college acceptance.
Reaction:
This article is very important to my question and research because the SAT is the main standardized test that students have to take to get into college. This article also helps the reader to understand why the SAT was brought about.
Summary:
This article is also from the ERIC digest. It talks about the alternatives to standardized tests that schools are looking into. One was student-teacher interviews where the student and the teacher sit down to discuss what has been learned and what needs to be learned more. Another example is the criteria-based test where the teacher designs the test and can observe from the results where they need to focus the lesson plans.
Reaction:
This article pertains to my question because it shows the different types of alternatives being looked into for standardized tests.
Research sources
1. Libby Quaid, “The influence game: Bill Gates pushes education reform - USATODAY.com,” 2009, http://www.usatoday.com/news/education /2009-10-29-bill-gates-education-reform_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip.
Summary:
This is an article from the USA Today. It describes Bill Gates and his work towards education reform through his foundation established with his wife. This foundation is called the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The article describes how Gates and Barrack Obama are working together to reform the poor American education system. Gates also describes how a shift needs to be made from standardized tests and how schools are to centered around them.
Reaction:
I believe this article pertains to the question I am researching because it shows how influential figures in American society want to change the way our schools work. Also the article shows how they do not agree with standardized testing and the focus schools put on them today.
2. Vito Perrone, “On Standardized Testing,” http://www.acei.org/onstandard.htm#children.
Summary:
This article is on the different levels of standardized testing in elementary schools. It describes how the tests vary as children get older and pass through the different grade levels. For example, before kindergarten the children are tested in simple way to test their abilities. This test involves simple tests like identifying colors and understanding directions. As the student advances through elementary school the tests begin to involve more math, reading, and writing orientated.
Reaction:
This article pertains to my question because it identifies the different types of elementary testing. It helps show, also, how the testing of students evolves as a student advances through their school career.
3.Center on Education Policy, LESSONS FROM THE CLASSROOM LEVEL, 2009, http://www.eric.ed.gov:80/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/42/ca/5d.pdf.
Summary:
This article was from the ERIC digest. It is a description of the No Child Left Behind Act and its effect on Rhode Island schools. The report itself is a compilation of a research done when observing schools in Rhode Island. It describes how a lot of teacher in high school have to make their teaching plans around what is tested on the NECAP.
Reaction:
This article relates to my question because it describes the effect of the Act that lead to standardized tests being used so much in schools. This article also talks about one of the state standardized tests that is now required.
4.JONATHAN EPSTEIN, Behind the SAT-Optional Movement, 2009, http://www.eric.ed.gov:80/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/45/55/62.pdf.
Summary:
This article is a report describing the SAT test. This is the main test that helps students get into college. The report describes the test's history, how it is used in the present, and how the importance of scoring on the tests is increasing. The report also goes into how the SAT is the only statistically ranking system there is for college acceptance.
Reaction:
This article is very important to my question and research because the SAT is the main standardized test that students have to take to get into college. This article also helps the reader to understand why the SAT was brought about.
5. Barbara Wildemuth, “Alternatives to Standardized Tests. ERIC Digest.,” http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-927/tests.htm.Summary:
This article is also from the ERIC digest. It talks about the alternatives to standardized tests that schools are looking into. One was student-teacher interviews where the student and the teacher sit down to discuss what has been learned and what needs to be learned more. Another example is the criteria-based test where the teacher designs the test and can observe from the results where they need to focus the lesson plans.
Reaction:
This article pertains to my question because it shows the different types of alternatives being looked into for standardized tests.